Thread: help with defining a changing variable within a loop

I'm having trouble with a homework assignment. I'll post the broad objective of it below so you understand what the end result should be. I understand how to use if loops to compare numeric values and tell the user if a number is greater lesser than or equal to another. I understand the basic concepts of while
loops and how to set parameters on how many times they run. Yet I have spent hours trying to figure out how I can compare two user values within a loop. My only thought of how to perhaps accomplish this is to get user input twice during the while loop(meaning I would only loop5 times instead of 10) yet I don't know if this will work or if this is the best way to tackle the problem. It only needs to be written in pseudocode at the moment which helps. But i am just at a loss of how to define and compare user inputted values that are constantly changing within a loop. I've attached a picture of the assignment objective, if my question does not make sense out of context. I would appreciate any help with this aspect of my assignment. I am almost at my wits end! Once I understand this I can easily write the pseduocode and draw the flowchart by myself. Yet I am at a standstill without knowing how to define the variables in this particular situation.




In this assignment, you will write an algorithm that asks the user for 10 different numbers. Afier
each number, you should print whether this number is bigger than, smaller than, or the same as
the one that came right before it. (Note that you won’t print anything after the first number, as
nothing came before it.) Below is an example. I have put in BLACK the information that your
algorithm should print, and in RED information that the user is providing. (The red is just the parts that says x is bigger/smaller than y)
Enter numberi 14
Enter numberi 20
20 is bigger than 14
Enter numberi 5
5 is smaller than 20
Enter numberi 5
5 is the same as 5
Enter numberi 10
10 is bigger than 5
Enter numberi -100
-100 is smaller than 10
Enter numberi 0
0 is bigger than -100
Enter numberi 0
0 is the same as 0
Enter numberi 57
57 is bigger than 0
Enter numberi 25
25 is smaller than 57

You should type your algorithm Your solution should include:
0 The steps to solving the problem (your steps should look similar to the examples in the
Designing Loops lecture notes). You should use a loop to get the 10 numbers from the
students, and you should use appropriate variables for storing the current number entered
by the user and the previous number entered by theuser

Sorry for the weird spelling things I used an OCR translator to get the info in txt form

THANKS FOR THE HELP!

I'm having trouble with a homework assignment. I'll post the broad objective of it below so you understand what the end result should be. I understand how to use if loops to compare numeric values and tell the user if a number is greater lesser than or equal to another. I understand the basic concepts of while
loops and how to set parameters on how many times they run. Yet I have spent hours trying to figure out how I can compare two user values within a loop. My only thought of how to perhaps accomplish this is to get user input twice during the while loop(meaning I would only loop5 times instead of 10) yet I don't know if this will work or if this is the best way to tackle the problem. It only needs to be written in pseudocode at the moment which helps. But i am just at a loss of how to define and compare user inputted values that are constantly changing within a loop. I've attached a picture of the assignment objective, if my question does not make sense out of context. I would appreciate any help with this aspect of my assignment. I am almost at my wits end! Once I understand this I can easily write the pseduocode and draw the flowchart by myself. Yet I am at a standstill without knowing how to define the variables in this particular situation.




In this assignment, you will write an algorithm that asks the user for 10 different numbers. Afier
each number, you should print whether this number is bigger than, smaller than, or the same as
the one that came right before it. (Note that you won’t print anything after the first number, as
nothing came before it.) Below is an example. I have put in BLACK the information that your
algorithm should print, and in RED information that the user is providing. (The red is just the parts that says x is bigger/smaller than y)
Enter numberi 14
Enter numberi 20
20 is bigger than 14
Enter numberi 5
5 is smaller than 20
Enter numberi 5
5 is the same as 5
Enter numberi 10
10 is bigger than 5
Enter numberi -100
-100 is smaller than 10
Enter numberi 0
0 is bigger than -100
Enter numberi 0
0 is the same as 0
Enter numberi 57
57 is bigger than 0
Enter numberi 25
25 is smaller than 57

You should type your algorithm Your solution should include:
0 The steps to solving the problem (your steps should look similar to the examples in the
Designing Loops lecture notes). You should use a loop to get the 10 numbers from the
students, and you should use appropriate variables for storing the current number entered
by the user and the previous number entered by theuser

Sorry for the weird spelling things I used an OCR translator to get the info in txt form

Originally Posted by Zyrion

Post your compilable code or your code with any associated compiler errors; it will be easier to see what you are having trouble with.

Sorry Zyrion. I thought I could explain in words. I was a little fed up with code last night. Ha I was wrong though. Heres my current pseudocode I'm leaning towards in my head. I've tried to highlight the section I am unsure about.

import.java.util.*;
public static void main(String[] args){

int count = 0
set up new scaner

while (count<10)

count++

ask user for value (print)
get user input
(this below is the part I'm not sure is translatable to java, if it is how would i accomplish this)
int num1 = previous user entered value
int num2 = current user entered value

if num1< num2
print num 1 "is less than" num 2
end if
if num1>num2
print num1 "is greater than" num2
end if
if num1=num2
print num1 "is equal to" num2
end if
end while




}

thanks for your help zyrion and Norm



--- Update ---

Originally Posted by Norm

Maybe defining them outside the loop would work better.

is it possible to do this when the loop gathers the user input? if so how would i tie the two together and have the int continuously update throughout the loop?

Originally Posted by Norm

You can define a variable outside the loop and assign it values inside the loop.

Thanks Norm! I will look into this and let you guys know if I have further questions.